Hurricane lamp adapter for candlesticks



Sept. 11', 1951 W. P. OPPELT HURRICANE LAMP ADAPTER FOR CANDLESTICKS Filed Oct. 14, 1950 INVENTOR Mu {AM P OPPEL 1' BY f/a2 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1951 HURRICANE LAMP ADAPTER FOR CANDLESTICKS William P. Oppelt, Meriden, Conn., assignor to The-.International Silver Company, Meriden, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Applicatiom October 14, 1950, Serial No. 190,159

This invention relates to an- 'adapter r r use with a candlestick to convert the same. a hurricane lamp type of structure and to a-novel construction for resiliently gripping the glass chimney of a lamp of this type.

An object of the invention is to provide a device whichfwill hold a candle and firmly support a glass chimney for the candle on a candlestick.

Another object is to make provision in a device of this type for the carriage of a glass chimney securely and tightly positioned against tipping or otherwise being displaced in a holder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the adapter in position on a candlestick;

Fig. 2 is a view on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The lamp adapter may be made of any resilient metallic material such as spring steel. At the base of the adapter a cylindrical socket member 2 is provided for insertion in a candle holder opening 3 of a candlestick 4. In the form shown the socket 2 has exterior threads 5 which mate with threads 6 of the candlestick opening 3 so as to secure the adapter firmly in place. The threads 5 may also be impressed in the inner wall of socket 2 as shown and provide a secure grip for a candle 1 inserted therein.

Formed integrally with the wall of socket 2 and flared outwardly and upwardly from the upper edge thereof is a cupped annular flange 8 forming a base for the holder portion to support a glass hurricane lamp chimney lfl.

The chimney holder portion is concentric with socket 2 and comprises an integral vertically and upwardly extending cylindrical portion above flange 8. The holder portion engages and releasably grips the cylindrical base portion 9 of chimney Hi. In the lower section of said holder portion adjacent flange 8, a series of annularly disposed venting openings I l is provided to admit air under the lower edge 9 of the base of chimney [0 for an air supply to the candle when lighted.

The upper portion of the chimney holder is formed with two spaced imperforate ring sections, a lower section I 2, and an upper section l3. Disposed between the ring sections I2 and I3 and integrally joining the same is a series of resilient ribs or slats I l. The slats M are all uniformly bowed or arched inwardly from the plane of the ring sections as by deforming the spring metal of the holder. The slats form an 1 Claim. Cl. 240 13) intermediate spring belt or girdle section between the rings and are provided at their mid portions with enlargements l5 for a greater bearing'surface against the glass. When the cylindrical base 9 of a chimney I0. is inserted in the holder thev enlarged cylindrical mid section of the slats encircle the outer wall of the. chimney base and the slats are forced to spread outwardly. The slats being of resilient spring metal hold the chimney base securely and firmly gripped against tipping or shifting. When the chimney is removed for cleaning or otherwise the inwardly urged slats return to their normal inwardly bowed condition. The upper ring I3 is provided at the top edge thereof with an outwardly'rolled beaded lip l6. Lip It forms a seat against which the flared or bulged portion I1 of the lamp chimney rests. Thus, shown, the lower edge 9' of the chimney is positioned adjacent the vents II.

It is of particular importance in the use of such glass chimneys that the chimney be held steadily and firmly in position, as a slight displacement or inclination in its holder may cause the heat from a candle flame to crack the glass. In addition the usual chimneys are made of blown glass rather than cast glass. Considerable variations in standard sizes result from the method of manufacture. Thus a holder must be adapted to accommodate and efiectively support chimneys having many difierent variations introduced in the standard sizes. The adapter of the construction shown herein is designed to accomplish this object.

With these considerations in mind, the adapter has been constructed to give effective service under long-continued use. It will be noted the openings between the ribs or slats are generally diamond-shaped, with the enlargements l5 formed at the mid points, so that the extremities as well as the central portions of the slats I4 are provided with added rigidity and strength.- Accidental displacement of an individual slat I4 with respect to the others is impossible with the integral connection at top and bottom of the rings 12 and [3. Thus the engirdling belt section for resiliently gripping the base portion of the chimney is afiorded a substantial degree of structural support for securely holding the glass in place.

While the invention has been disclosed with particular relationship to its utility for use with candlesticks, it will be recognized that the unitary construction of the rings l 2 and I3 in conjunction with the slats or vents I4 is equally useful for analogous applications. Thus, as one example, the arrangement may be utilized to support the glass chimney in electric table or mantle lamps base of the adapter and having threads in the wall thereof for engagement in a threaded candlestick opening and for gripping the base of a candle inserted in said socket, an annular cupped flange outwardly and upwardly flared from the top edge of said socket to provide the base portion of a chimney holder, a cylindrical chimney holder portion extending upwardly from the flange and having a diameter of greater dimension than said socket, said holder portion being disposed concentrically of said socket and having in the lower section thereof adjacent the flange a series of vents to admit air to the base of a chimney in the holder, an imperforate lower ring section above said vents and an imperforate upper ring section spaced upwardly therefrom, a resilient girdle section joining said rings, said ring sections being in substantially the same plane, with said girdle section having inwardly arched slatted ribs deformed from and connecting said rings, the central mid portions of said ribs being enlarged and forming a cylindrical girdle inwardly of the plane of the rings for providing resilient gripping pressure against the base of a lamp chimney inserted therein, the top peripheral edge of said upper ring section being adapted to provide a seat for the flared portion of said chimney with the lower edge of the base of said chimney resting adjacent said air vents of the adapter.

WILLIAM P. OPPELT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,183,737 King May 16, 1916 1,292,195 Will Jan. 21, 1919 1,890,378 Godoy Dec. 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country Date 23,979 Great Britain of 1911 24,222 Austria June 12, 1936 

